The female gunman who opened fire into the Texas megachurch on Sunday afternoon had 'Free Palestine' written on her AR-15, according to media reports from the last 24 hours.
The shooter had also claimed, in a statement that was later proven to be false, that she had a bomb. The Houston police chief confirmed that no explosives had been found during the search of the woman's backpack and car.
Chief @TroyFinner, @houmayor Whitmire Media Briefing on Shooting Incident at 3700 Southwest Fwy https://t.co/qeW8eRrNJZ
— Houston Police (@houstonpolice) February 11, 2024
Fox News identified the shooter as a Transgender woman known as Genesse Ivonne Moreno. Born in El Salvador, the source claimed Moreno had a lengthy criminal history.
It was also reported by CNN that the woman had sprayed an unknown substance onto the ground before being shot.
“Right now, I can safely say that we have not found anything that is of concern to our community or to this location, but we’re going to take our time to ensure that we look at every aspect,” the fire chief stressed in a press conference.
The woman, who was killed by law enforcement, had been accompanied by a young child. The child, whose affiliation with the shooter is unknown, is currently in hospital in critical condition after being shot.
Wearing a trench coat and backpack, according to CNN, the shooter arrived at the church at 2 pm. Two law enforcement officials quickly neutralized the woman before further damage could be done.
As of now, there are no deaths reported as a result of the incident, except the shooter's. A man was shot in the leg and was treated in a local hospital.
Details on the potential motive of the shooter have also not been shared.
Religious response to the incident
Pastor Joel Osteen, a representative of the megachurch, told media, "We don't understand why these things happen, but we know God's in control" in relation to the incident.
Pastor Joel Osteen addresses media after shooting at Lakewood Church in Houston: "We don't understand why these things happen, but we know God's in control." https://t.co/rzYNp0xEmk pic.twitter.com/r2uDjli4Ey
— ABC News (@ABC) February 11, 2024
A witness told ABC 13 she heard gunshots from the choir room, which sent churchgoers into a panic.
“The whole church started praying and declaring Jesus’ name,” she said. “I was like, ‘This might be the last time I get to pray, that I get to glorify the name of Jesus, so I’m going to do this.’”